1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phrase data input/output apparatus, an apparatus that is employed, for example, as an electronic musical instrument and that exchanges phrase data, which is used for phrase playing, with an external device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various electronic musical instruments that perform phrase playing have been developed and practically employed. Areas of the keyboards of such electronic musical instruments are allocated for the entry of motif data (phrase data).
Further, another type of electronic musical instrument is known that transmits player-entered key data to an externally connected electronic musical instrument, and thus insures that identical key data is used by both musical instruments.
Such a multiple-element electronic musical instrument system is so designed that key data used for phrase playing by one electronic musical instrument is sent, unchanged, to another externally connected musical instrument. With such an arrangement, the musical performance of the electronic musical instrument that receives the transmitted data is impaired.
Also known is an automatic playing apparatus that sends prestored automatic play data and phrase data to an external electronic musical instrument, etc. Since with this apparatus key data must be sent for each performance, as the volume of play data increases, so too does the load placed on the output processing system.